Carroll has probably saved 4 or 5 goals with blocks and tackles since he came back into the team. SOD over the course of the season has definitely sold more than he has saved and doesn't show a great deal of intensity in defence.
Add in that he hasn't contributed much going forward and it makes him a very frustrating player.
The first order of the day in my opinion is to get enough points to be safe, then if we can get above St Midden just to prove a point after Covidgate n then if all my Christmas’s come at once the Accies to get relegated right after we have pumped them 5-0 at their shitheap....can but dream eh?
Survival first n foremost!!!
I'll start by saying I've no problem with O'Donnell - I think he's been mostly good and I've never doubted his commitment on the pitch.
However I think for many, including myself a wee bit here, it all comes down to perceptions about commitment and attitude towards the club. There's a perception, rightly or wrongly, that O'Donnell signed for us in the summer window because we were a last resort. He wanted a bigger club, it didn't happen and settled for Motherwell. He was then offered an extension in December and didn't sign it till the last day of the window - again, the perception was that he was expecting something bigger then had to settle for us.
We all know that players come here with aspirations and no-one would begrudge a player weighing up options first, but I think if you give the impression that you were expecting bigger things to come your way, as opposed to just hoping they would, then you better show on the pitch why you had those grand ideas in the first place. Unfortunately O'Donnell hasn't really done that.
The three of them are imposters. Clearly couldn't give a toss about our club. Our two international celebrities can beat it in particular, their lack of effort in claret and amber is remarkable.
As yet the jury is out for me. But I do agree that with his "own team" we can put behind us this current weekly re-framing of views that suggests its all down to Alexander when we win and nothing to do with Alexander and all down to Robinson's players if we lose, and judge him on his merits.